IWR1642: Production Line Test for Measuring the Radio Power.

Hello,

Depending on the software being used, we would normally set the continuous mode.

     There is a discussion of continuous operation under the data capture demo in the mmwave_user guide. 

     3.4.2 IWR1443

     3.4.3 IWR1642 - there is a specific discussion of continuous mode and script file.

In the case of the Tx, 

    The Txpower_output power backoff is a parameter in the profileCfg API, there is 1 byte per transmitter

    unsigned integer.

    The Tx mask is defined in the chirp configuration, or continuous function used.

You would typically have a selected Tx (one at a time), you would set the Synthesizer Start frequency, tx power backoff 0 - 12dbm in the profile Cfg

You would typically set at least desired Rx (Rx4 is required), and a Tx in the Chirp configuration.

You would typically set the dfeDataOutpuTMode = 2

see capture_demo_script_lvds_cont_mode.txt file

If you are using the Radar Studio development environment, you would follow the Radar Studio User Guide,

You would configure the Connection, StaticConfig, DataConfig, and ContStream tabls

To determine the desired power level we have to adjust for losses.

a) from FMCW radar sensor, there is an RF loss from Tx output, to antenna stripline, to the antenna output.  You would need to track the peaks, as the crystal output frequency, as the actual output frequency has some variation.  

Radar Sensor -> Grounded CoPlanar Waveguide -> Stripling -> Tx Antenna

 you would calculate what the desired radiated signal power is, and then measure this with a test antenna, and spectrum analyzer.

note: the crystal deviation will be seen as an RF frequency drift.

Regards

Joe Quintal